John P. Mello with CSO reported this week that Kaspersky Lab discovered a piece of malware called “Backdoor.AndroidOS.Obad.a” within an Android app. It’s one of the most complex Android malware programs yet. The malware is a multi-functional Trojan that can send SMS messages to premium rate numbers, download malware to a phone and infect other phones through Bluetooth. The malware also scans for devices close by with open Bluetooth connections and attempts to send them a bad app. CITEworld’s Chris Nerney interviewed Kaspersky Lab expert Roman Unuchek, who said, “Malware writers typically try to make the codes in their creations as complicated as possible, to make life more difficult for anti-malware experts. However, it is rare to see concealment as advanced as Obad.a’s in mobile malware.” Luckily, the malware is not very widespread, having no more than 0.15 percent of all attempts to infect mobile devices.

PCMag reporter Max Eddy wrote an article on the introduction of iOS7, Apple’s new mobile operating system. The revamp includes an improved design and user experience. In our opinion, here are the most interesting updates to iPhone and iPad security:

Block spammers (or ex-girlfriends): iOS7 can block calls, texts and FaceTime from numbers the user selects. The function works as a blacklisting feature, which Apple users have long awaited.Remote wipe and lock for anti-theft: For years now, Apple has offered Find My iPhone—a free service that allows you to remotely locate, lock, message and wipe your phone. For both Android and Apple, remote wipe is a nuclear option. It’s the ultimate signal of “surrender” partly because all your data is gone (unless you back it up, which you should), but also because the thief is left with a totally blank phone ready for a new owner.iCloud Keychain password manager: We constantly stress the importance of strong passwords and creating different passwords for each website or service we use. That complex task is now easy to do on desktops and laptops running OSX because of its strong password manager. On the new iOS7, the tool helps to securely store credit card information available on all of your iOS devices.

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